How The Rise Of The Taliban Adversely Affects South Asia

Ghafari proclaimed that Afghani women know the Taliban’s history very well: “The Taliban ruled all of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Everyone faced restrictions under their conservative interpretation of Islam, but those imposed on women were the most stringent. Women couldn’t leave their homes without a male guardian, and were required to cover their bodies from head to toe in a long robe called a burqa. They could not visit health centers, attend school or work.”

She claimed that a 2010 Human Rights Watch report noted that the Taliban has not changed since then: “in areas they control or influence, the Taliban have threatened and attacked women in public life and ordinary women who work outside their homes. Therefore, it is imperative to judge all the proclamations made by the Taliban leaders at the international stage about their commitment towards women’s rights and gender equality on the basis of their actions rather than mere rhetoric.”

In conclusion, Ghafari proclaimed: “Afghanistan stands on the edge of an abyss. The only thing certain about the current crisis in Afghanistan is uncertainty. However, Afghan women are fighting back, taking to the streets and protesting, even in the face of violence from the Taliban and attempts to ban protest. Gender equality, though not a fundamental right, is a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. Afghan women’s voices should be heard. We are in this together.”

Ahmad Wali Ahmad-Yar, the Secretary General of the Network of Afghani Diaspora Organizations in Europe, added: “There is a naïve believe in the west, mostly fabricated by politicians, that the Taliban has changed, or the Taliban promised to make inclusive government, or they allow women to have their rights, which is all against what the Taliban stand for. If the Taliban start doing this, they will not exist anymore, their donors will not support them, their fighters will not fight for them, and they will lose their essence. Expecting the Taliban to change or respect human rights is out of reality.”

According to him, “We all know that the Taliban are with all their power and believe against women and their activities and it will be a long walk to get what Afghan women deserve but I call for international unity, solidarity and common work to fight for their cause.”

He called upon the international community to not give any legitimacy to the Taliban: “As the people of Afghanistan, we call upon Americans and their European partners to stop playing with the destiny of our people.  You have lost your war and please leave our people to find a solution for themselves, not empower a terrorist group by making excuses for humanitarian aid for the people of Afghanistan.”

“The West should admit their diplomatic and military defeat against the Taliban and now they should allow Afghans to continue their fight, and if they want to support, they should support the people of Afghanistan particularly Afghan women,” Ahmad Yar stressed.   

If the West seeks to prevent the Talibanization of Central Asia, then it is of critical importance that we stand in solidarity with moderates and dissidents in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, who are seeking a better tomorrow.  The West should not treat the Taliban as a reformed organization, for it is not.  It is the same Taliban that was overthrown in 2001. The only difference is that they are smarter. 

The difference between the Taliban today and the Taliban back then, is like the difference between former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and present Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi. While Rouhani was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, who all the time shook the hands of Western leaders and smiled for the cameras while building nuclear weapons, Raisi is a wolf who makes no secret about the fact that he is a wolf and shoves it in the face of Western leaders, which is why the Iranian nuclear talks are going nowhere despite Biden’s best efforts. 

Similarly, the Taliban before 2001 was like Raisi, while the Taliban today is like Rouhani. However, in both cases, it is the same wolf.  Yet, the wolf in sheep’s clothing is more dangerous and deadly than the wolf that behaves like a wolf, as the wolf in sheep’s clothing can be deceptive and trick you into letting your guard down, thus endangering the free world in the process.